NOAA Weather Radio
(NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous
weather information direct from a nearby National Weather
Service office. NWR broadcasts National Weather Service warnings,
watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day.

Known as the "Voice
of NOAA's National Weather Service",NWR is provided as a public
service by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Department
of Commerce. NWR includes 950
transmitters, covering all 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories.

The seven frequencies
in the VHF band (MHz) that NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts on are:

162.400

162.425

162.450

162.475

162.500

162.525

162.550

Transmitters operated
by NWS Pittsburgh

KIH-35
162.55 MHz

WWG-53
162.425 MHz

WWF-35
162.525 MHz

WXJ-47 162.475 MHz

KXI-73 162.450 MHz

KWN-36 162.500 MHz

KWN-35 162.475 MHz

KZZ-42 162.500 MHz

WNG-735 162.425 MHz

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh
operates 9 different NOAA Weather Radio transmitters in our CWA (county
warning area).

Radio Station KIH-35
serves the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and surrounding counties. The
transmitter broadcasts on a frequency of 162.55
MHz from a tower located in the City of Pittsburgh, PA.

Radio Station WWF-35
(Bridgeport, OH) serves parts of Eastern Ohio, the Northern Panhandle
of West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The transmitter broadcasts
on a frequency of 162.525 MHz. from a tower
located in Bridgeport Ohio.

Radio Station WXJ-47
(High Hill, OH) serves much of East Central and Southeast Ohio. The transmitter
broadcasts on 162.475 MHz. from a tower located
in Cambridge Ohio.

Radio station WWG-53
(Parker, PA) serves West Central and portions Northwest Pennsylvania.
The transmitter broadcasts on a frequency of 162.425
MHz. from a tower owned by Central Electric CO-OP, near Parker
Pennsylvania.

Radio station KXI-73
(Backbone Mountain) serves Tucker, Preston, Barbour, Randolph, and Grant
counties in West Virginia, as well as Garrett County, MD. The transmitter
broadcasts on a frequency of 162.450 MHz.
from a tower located in Central Tucker County, West Virginia.

Radio Station KWN-36
(Gregg Knob)serves North Central West Virginia, Western Maryland, and
portions of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The transmitter broadcasts on a
frequency of 162.500 MHz. from a tower located
in East Central Preston County, West Virginia.

Radio Station KWN-35
(Morgantown) serves Northern West Virginia, and portions of Southwestern
Pennsylvania. The transmitter broadcasts on a frequency of 162.475
MHz. from a tower located near Morgantown West Virginia.

Radio Station WNG-735
(New Philadelphia) serves East Central and Northeastern Ohio. The transmitter
broadcasts on a frequency of 162.425 MHz.
from a tower located near New Philadelphia Ohio.

Radio station KZZ-42
(Punxsutawney, PA) serves West Central Pennsylvania. The transmitter broadcasts
on a frequency of 162.500 MHz. from a tower
located near Punxsutawney Pennsylvania.

All broadcasts originate from the National
Weather Service office here in Pittsburgh .

The broadcasts can usually be heard
as far as 40 miles from the transmitter sites. The distance will vary
according to your elevation, the quality of your receiver and antenna,
and the quality of the transmitter output.

During severe weather, the National
Weather Service can interrupt the routine weather broadcasts and substitute
special warning messages. These warnings are preceded by a tone alert
signal that activates specially designed receivers. The receivers sound
an alarm, indicating that a weather emergency exists. The listener can
then turn up the volume to hear the warning message. Some radios can switch
automatically from a muted mode to an audible volume so that the warning
message is heard.

In the most sophisticated alerting
system, Weather Radio Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME),
digital coding is employed to activate only those special receivers programmed
for specific emergency conditions in a specific area, typically a county.
SAME can activate specially equipped radio and cable television receivers
and provide a short text message that identifies the location and type
of emergency.

The warning alarm and battery backup
features are worthwhile, especially valuable for schools, hospitals, public
safety agencies, and news media offices.